251. Hooked on a Bark

In this week's episode, I am joined by George Wood. We follow up on last week's podcast and discuss the history and development of Canadian Curs, drawing on a lifetime of coon hunting and stories passed down from the breed's early days. He describes how the dogs emerged from working-dog crosses, how selective breeding and a limited gene pool shaped them, and why outcrosses can bring renewed vigor. The conversation also traces key dogs and breeding lines, including the role of Dave Rodgers. George reflects on the value of being open about a dog's ancestry, the challenges of preserving a breed, and examples of successful crosses involving Curs, hounds, and other working dogs.    Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia

In this episode, I am joined by Dean Ross. We talk about his decades in the hunting-dog world and his experience with Canadian Curs. Dean traces his introduction to the breed to George Wood around 2002 and shares what he knows about its early history, including the work of Larry Smith and David Rogers, the breed's foundation, and the influence of other cur lines. He also recalls the dogs, breeders, and competition events that shaped the Canadian Cur community. Dean shares stories from the fur boom, memorable hunts and dogs, and what he admired about Canadian Curs—their winding ability, run-to-catch style, and quiet work at the tree. The conversation also touches on breeding and outcrosses, the importance of preserving hunting-dog history in old magazines, and the friendships formed through the sport. Dean reflects on his late son Rudy's Patterdale Terriers and the legacy of sharing good dogs and good memories. Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia    

On this episode I'm joined by Jacob Dodson from Orange County, Virginia. Jacob didn't grow up in a hunting family, but that didn't stop him from finding his way into the world of tree dogs. Nearly five years ago, Jacob got his start squirrel hunting with his original Mountain Cur, and he's been hooked ever since. What started with chasing squirrels has grown into a passion for hunting dogs that's also led him into the coon hunting world. We talk about Jacob's journey into the sport, the people and dogs that helped him along the way, and the success his dog Flint has found in dash races and field trials. Of course, it wouldn't be Tree Talkin' Time without a few good hunting stories, and Jacob has some worth sharing! Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia  

 In this week's episode I am joined by Justin Davenport. We talk about Snooki's Cookie, the champion hound who's been part of his family for nearly nine years. Justin shares how Cookie got her start, what makes her such a consistent winner, and some of the memorable hunts that brought them to the world finals. They also talk about her pups, the people she's hunted with, and why—titles aside—Cookie is simply a special dog who still can't wait to get in the woods. Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia  

In this week's episode I am joined by longtime Leopard Dog breeder and hunter Lamar Meeks. We talk about the dogs and bloodlines that shaped his breeding program, his role in promoting Leopard Hounds, and the versatility of the breed. Lamar reflects on memorable dogs, breeding for a dependable and enjoyable hunting companion, and the challenges hunters face as access to land becomes more limited.  Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia

On this episode I'm joined by Jack Earls, a lifelong coon hunter and trout fisherman from Southwest Virginia. Born in 1938, Jack looks back on a life shaped by family, coal mining, hounds, and the people he's met along the way. He shares how he got his first Blue Tick as a boy, what hunting was like before coon clubs became common, and the dogs and dog traders he encountered over the years. Along the way, he tells some memorable hunting stories—including a Black and Tan that treed on a washing machine. Jack also talks about working in the coal mines, the importance of union representation and sportsmanship, and his close friendship with Jason Keen. Though health challenges have changed how much he can get out, he still enjoys listening to the dogs, fishing, feeding the wildlife around his home, and sharing stories. Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia

On this episode, I am joined by longtime Georgia coon hunter Al Medcalf. We talk about a lifetime spent hunting, raising, and learning from tree dogs. Al shares how he got started with cur dogs in the 1980s, why he's drawn to Plotts and dogs with a little variety in their breeding, and why walk-hunting suits him best. Along the way, Al tells stories about some of the dogs he's loved and hunted over the years—from the remarkably accurate Zeke and the dependable black-and-tan Nancy to Ranger, Stormy, and the unforgettable Lightning. He reflects on keeping older dogs for life, receiving good dogs from friends, raising puppies, and the special satisfaction of watching a young dog tree its first coon alone. Al also talks about his family's long history in Georgia, his 32 years with the state patrol, his appreciation for Full Cry, and the story he recently submitted for the magazine. Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia

In this episode I am joined by lifelong houndsman and competition squirrel hunter Erik Walley. Erik traces his journey from running deer and fox dogs as a kid, to becoming a dominant force in the squirrel dog world with his "Pure Country" line of OMCBA curs. He shares the story of his first fox dog Slim, how he got barred from local fox pens for having dogs that caught too much game, his transition into coon and then squirrel hunting, and the dog that first put him "on the map" — Pure Country Scout. Erik talks candidly about selling Scout after Hurricane Katrina, walking away from dogs for more than a decade to chase team roping, and then getting pulled back into squirrel dogs with the world champion Hawk and his offspring. Throughout the conversation, he highlights the importance of a good women, good dogs, breeding for hunt, mouth, and consistency, and why he believes OMCBA-registered dogs give him the most options in today's multi-registry competition scene. Erik closes by reflecting on the rising level of competition, the need to get more youth involved, and the satisfaction of sharing final casts and world hunt stages with his wife, Melissa. Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia

In this week's episode I am joined by Chris Watson, founder of the Arizona Working Dog Alliance (AWDA) and creator of the Anecdote of the Houndsman YouTube channel. Chris shares how he got started with hounds in Arizona, the old-school mentors and bloodlines that shaped his pack, and the standout dogs that defined different eras of his hunting. From there, the conversation shifts to media, advocacy, and politics: how Chris went from YouTube and live streams to founding AWDA when no one else would step up, what it's like dealing with legislators and game commissions, and why hunters must become the "squeaky wheel" to protect hound hunting. Chris lays out a blueprint for positive education, smarter use of social media, taking non-hunters and kids to the woods, and holding fellow houndsmen to higher standards in dog care and ethics. They also highlight the Arizona Hound Hunters Rendezvous—what it is, who shows up from across the country, and how it's becoming a hub for Western houndsmen, storytelling, and collaboration. https://azwda.com Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia

In this week's episode I am joined by Charlie McPherson, fresh off one of the biggest accomplishments of his hunting career—winning the 2026 Autumn Oaks National Dual Championship with his Black and Tan, McPherson All In Double Deuce. Charlie has been hunting Black and Tans for more than 20 years, but Deuce is the first dog he has really pushed in the hunts. At just five years old, Deuce has already built an impressive resume, winning hunts in 11 different states and earning his place in the Hall of Fame at only two years old. Despite all those accomplishment, Deuce continues to prove himself in competition. We talk about what makes Deuce special, including Charlie's emphasis on one trait above all others: accuracy. Charlie explains why he believes an accurate dog is the foundation of a winning coonhound and what he looks for when evaluating a young dog. The conversation also turns toward Deuce's pups and Charlie's efforts to reproduce the traits he values most. He shares his experiences with young dogs that are starting early, showing the potential to become competitive coonhounds themselves. From more than two decades of hunting Black and Tans to finally putting a dog on the competition stage and taking home a National Dual Championship, Charlie McPherson has plenty of experience to share.    Sponsors: https://conkeysoutdoors.com  Promo Code TREETALKINTIME5 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420083161566245  https://animalhousingsolutions.com https://fullcrymag.com Merch: https://treetalkin.com/collections  Social Media: https://www.youtube.com/@TreeTalkinMedia  https://www.patreon.com/treetalkintime https://www.instagram.com/treetalkinmedia https://www.facebook.com/treetalkinmedia